The Effects of Antacids on Pepsin

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Presentation on theme: "The Effects of Antacids on Pepsin"— Presentation transcript:

1 The Effects of Antacids on PepsinMadeleine FinkenaurThe Academy of Notre Dame

2 QuestionHow much do antacids interfere with the stomach’s ability to breakdown food proteins?

3 Background InformationFood proteins are vital to the body and are broken down in the stomach by pepsinPepsin, a proteolytic enzyme in the stomach, requires a pH level of 1-3This acidity is obtained by hydrochloric acid(HCl), which is secreted by the stomachAntacids lower the acidity level of the stomach, making it difficult for food protein breakdown to occur

6 ProcedureMake a 1% pepsin solution with 99mL of distilled water in a 150mL beakerMake a 1% hydrochloric acid solution with 99mL of distilled water in a 150mL beakerTake four test tubes and add 5mL of the pepsin solution and 5mL of distilled water in one, 5mL of the hydrochloric acid solution and 5mL of distilled water in another, 5mL of the pepsin solution and 5mL of the hydrochloric acid solution in the third test tube, and 10mL of distilled water in the last oneCrush a single dose of each antacid (TUMS, Pepto-Bismol, Acid Reducer, Heartburn Relief, and NaHCO3) separately with a mortar and pestle.Add each antacid to a 150mL beaker with 100mL of hydrochloric acid

7 ProcedureTake five more test tubes and fill each one with 5mL of the 1% pepsin solutionAdd 5mL of every one of the five antacid solutions to the five test tubes with the pepsin solution separatelyRecord the pH level of every test tubeCut a small piece of hard-boiled egg for each test tubes and record the mass of each egg pieceAdd the egg to every test tube and cover all the test tubesStore all the test tubes in an incubator at 37C for 48 hoursUncap all the test tubes after 48 hours and weigh the hard-boiled egg slices from each test tube and recordRepeat this procedure for three trials

14 ConclusionThe hypothesis for this experiment was partly supported and partly rejectedTUMS was ineffective in breaking down food protein because it had pH level of 6Pepto-Bismol was ineffective in breaking down food proteinAcid Reducer only had a mild amount of food protein breakdownHeartburn Relief was very effective in food protein breakdownNaHCO3 was ineffective in breaking down food protein

15 Conclusion Limitations Further StudyOnly tested 5 antacids out of manySome egg mass was lost when the egg was movedFurther StudyWhat are the effects of limited protein breakdown on the body?Do more acidic food increase pepsin’s ability to breakdown food protein?